All Hogs

Arkansas' running game remains a bit of a mystery entering first SEC game

So far, so good with Razorbacks quintet of running backs plus quarterback Taylen Green
Kevin McPherson|
Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington Jr (4) rushes during the fourth quarter against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Razorback Stadium.
Arkansas Razorbacks running back Mike Washington Jr (4) rushes during the fourth quarter against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Arkansas RazorbacksOle Miss Rebels

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There have been plenty of explosion plays from Arkansas' running game, and finally it produced touchdowns on the ground in game two on Saturday.

But questions remain regarding the Razorbacks running-back corps heading into the team's SEC opener this weekend.

Arkansas (2-0) is set to play at No. 17 Ole Miss (2-0, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday, and so far the shape of things with the Hogs' ball-carriers remains undefined and a bit murky.

Not that they've underperformed. Arkansas is averaging 257.5 yards per game on the ground (compared to 333.5 yards per game passing) on 34.5 carries (7.5 yards per carry) with 4 rushing touchdowns.

It's more about individual-player questions that remain given the lack of quality of the first two opponents' defenses combined with the limited touches (so far) individually by each of the running backs.

Senior Taylen Green is a known commodity as a dual-threat quarterback, and through two games he's rushed for 192 yards and 1 touchdown on 18 carries (10.7 yards per tote). 

He led Arkansas in rushing (151 yads, including a 64-yard touchdown romp, on 9 carries) in the team's historic 56-14 win over Arkansas State on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Lining up behind Green in the backfield are a quintet of running backs that have collectively been productive while not signaling just yet who's capable of being a workhorse, or an every-down back, or reliably productive once the competition stiffens.

Senior transfer Mike Wasington, Jr. (6-2, 223 pounds) showed explosive playmaking ability in fall camp scrimmages, and so far as the starter at running back his explosiveness has translated to games, but in limited opportunities. 

He notched his first 100-yard rushing performance as a Razorback against A-State on Saturday, compiling 116 yards on the ground on 9 carries. That included a 53-yard sprint for a touchdown on the second play of the game.

In the Hogs' 52-7 win over Alabama A&M in the season-opener on Aug. 30 at Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville, Washington had a 27-yard touchdown catch-and-run reception that came a play after he authored a 30-yard run.

Through two games, Washington has rushed for a team-leading 195 yards to go with 1 touchdown on only 18 carries (10.8 yards per carry), and he has 2 receptions for 26 yards and 1 touchdown. Combined, he's racked up 221 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns on only 20 total touches.

A season ago at New Mexico State, Washington appeared in all 12 of the Aggies' games and had 157 carries, which works out to a 13.1-carries-per-game average. 

Not exactly workhorse numbers.

Next up on the running back depth chart is sophomore Braylen Russell (a.k.a. the Benton Bulldozer). 

At 6-1, 238 pounds, Russell has been challenged by his coaches to run with better balance and physicality, and at least on one play in the first half against ASU he brought both elements as he bowled over multiple Red Wolves defenders for a 7-yard touchdown run.

Through the first two contests, Russell has totaled 66 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on 16 carries (4.1 yards per carry) to go with 2 receptions for 17 yards. 

Arkansas' total of 7 touchdowns against Alabama A&M in the opener all came through the air, but on Saturday against A-State it was balanced as the passing game and running game each produced 4 touchdowns.

Again, Washington and Russell have combined for a modest workload as each has contributed a score on the ground.

"Do I wish we'd have seen more out of Mike and Braylen?" Arkansas coach Sam Pittman pondered during his Monday press conference. "We've seen what we need to see out of them.

“They're healthy, but I don't think we're gonna go into SEC play and think we can get 14 carries between the two of them, but that's all we've needed. We're scoring. The first half we had the ball 11 minutes the other day and 35 points. We're scoring so fast that who's doing it is really not (important) because there's a bunch of people. 

"If we can keep that, that'd be great, but I think those two backs are good.  I think they're going to have to take the brunt, and Rodney (Hill) as well, but I think their carries will probably go up in SEC play. We'll see. If we keep scoring points,

“I don't care who carries it, nor who he throws it to or anything else. We've been doing a pretty good job of that. And then Taylen, he took up 151 of those yards with nine carries as well, so rushing is rushing."

Providing depth behind Wasington and Russell are a couple of veterans with a combined six seasons as Razorbacks (includes the current 2025 campaign), plus a freshman from Little Rock.

Through the first two games, junior running back Rodney Hill (5-10, 195 pounds) has 37 yards on 7 carries (5.3 yards per tote) with a long run of 18 yards against ASU on Saturday.

Senior running back AJ Green (5-10, 210 pounds) has 11 yards on 3 carries including a long run of 12 yards with his only game appearance so far coming against Alabama A&M; and freshman running back Cam Settles (5-11, 204 pounds) recorded 5 yards on 1 carry against Alabama A&M.

Backup quarterback KJ Jackson has appeared in both games and contributed 21 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on 3 carries.

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Kevin McPherson
KEVIN MCPHERSON

Analyst, reporter, and columnist for nearly 40 years in Arkansas, he has covered everything Arkansas basketball and recruiting (football, too). His primary focus has been the Razorbacks. His articles, columns, daily podcasts, and weekly television and radio segments drill down on the Razorbacks and more!

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